Kiev court resumes hearing into case of two Russians detained in Ukraine

Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Alexander Alexandrov

KIEV, January 12. /TASS/. Kiev’s Goloseevsky court has resumed hearing into the case of Russian nationals Alexander Alexandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev, arrested in Ukraine, a TASS correspondent reported from the site on Tuesday.

Earlier Alexandrov’s lawyer Yuri Grabovskiy told TASS a number of servicemen and doctors providing the arrested men with help were questioned after the men were charged.

"We have a doctor and some servicemen left to question," the lawyer said. "At the next stage we will add the documents to the case and question those charged."

Russians Alexander Alexandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev were captured by Ukraine’s forces on May 16 in the Luhansk region, in eastern Ukraine. After the detention, the Russians underwent serious surgery that demands long-time recovery and systematic medical supervision.

Kiev claims the detainees allegedly were Russian servicemen. Russia’s Defense Ministry later said the Russians "were not active servicemen of Russia’s Armed Forces at the moment when they were detained on May 17."

The court of Kiev’s Shevchenkovsky district arrested Alexandrov and Yerofeyev on May 22. The appeal court of Kiev on June 10 upheld the arrest of Russians, backing the decision of the first instance court.

Kiev’s Goloseevsky court prolonged the two men detention till February 20. The court hearings will resume on January 13.